Air-brake



No. 6|0,947. Patented Sept. 20, |898.

H. S. PARK. AIR BRAKE.` (Application tiled Mar. 7. 1890.; (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet).

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Patented Sept. 20,1898.

H, s. PA RK. MB BRAKE.

(Application filed Mar. 7, 1890.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Modal.)

l illivrrinn STATES l PATENT rmciEi IIARVEIT S. PARK, OF CIIICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE VESTINGIIOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTS'BURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

Al R-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,947, dated September 20, 1898. Y Application filed March '7I 1890. Serial No. 343,046. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

' Be it known that I, HARVEY S. PARK, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Brakes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled inthe art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional elevation showing the main valve, a portion of the brake-cylinder, a portion of the train-pipe, a veut-valve for the train-pipe, and a'valve for admitting train-pipe pressure direct to the brake-cylinder, and showing also an electrical appliance for actuating the valve which admits the di-` rect train-pipe pressure. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the valve with the cap or cover removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing the main valve and a portion of the pipe connecting the main valve with the carreservoir. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the slidevalve of the main-valve mechanism. Fig. 5 is a face view of the main-valve chamber, showing the ports and passages therein.

This invention relates to air-brakes of that class in which a main valve, a car-reservoir, and a brake-cylinder, with a train-pipe communicating with the main valve, are used on each car of the train and controlled by the engineer, and has for its object to insure the application of the bra-kes throughout the entire train simultaneously, and thereby prevent the non-setting of the brakes on a long train, as is apt to be the case where the engineers valve alone is used as the vent for the entire train-pipe, to improve the construction and operation of the main valve and its coacting devices, and to improve generally the construction and arrangement of the mechanism constituting the valve as a whole and its nature consists in the several parts and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims as new.

In the drawings, A represents the trainpipe.

B is a cap or cover for the main-valve chamber at the train-pipe end thereof.

C is a chamber in the cap or cover B, into which chamber the end of the train-pipe A enters and has communication therewith.

D is a passage leading from the chamber C.

E is the shell or casing of the triple-valve device, to the end of which is secured by suitable bolts the cap or cover B, and between the face ot the cap or cover B and the end face of the casing E is a suitable packing to make an air-tight joint.

F is the main-valve piston-chamber within the casing E.

G is a plate or disk, and G' is a companion plate or disk, and, as shown, the plate or disk G at its center has a stem X, around which isa coiled spring X', one end of which abuts against the face of the plate or disk G and the other rests upon a plate y, supported on a pin y', and'this plateg/ lies within a chamber a, formed in the cap ,Bfwhich chamber a has a continuation e for the entrance of the stem X in the backward movement of the 3 piston.

` H are cup-leather packings located between the plates or disks G and G and extending one over each edge of the respective plates or disks, as shown in Fig. l.

I is a stem formed with or. suitably secured to the plate or diskl G". The piston formed by the disks G G and cup-leather packing I-I is located in the chamber F, and the chamber F communicates with the `chamber C by a port a and a chamber b, and theport a is controlled by a valve o, located'in the chamber B and having a stem d passing through the port a, with a pin CZ at the end of the stem to hold the valve against being moved too far, and the valve c has a small hole e, which acts as a vent and allows a communication between the chamber C and the chamber F'when the valve c is seated.

J is a head 011 the endof the stem I, which head when the piston is in its normal position abuts against the cap or cover of the cylinder E, as shown in Fig. l. The end of the stem I, adjacent to the head J, has a chamber f, and through the head J is a hole f', leading from the chamber f. A valve g is located in the chamber f and has a stem g on both sides, and around the stein g' is located a coiled spring g", one end of which is against KGO the valve g and the other rests upon the bottom of the chamber f.

K is a cap or cover for the end of the casing E and forming also a head for the brakecylinder. The cap or cover K is attached to the casing by suitable bolts o, and the joint between the cap and the casin g is made airtight by a suitable packing L is a slide-valve in the main-valve chamber F, attached to an arm L', extending out from the stem I and held to its seat by a coiled spring h around the stem or arm L.

M is a passage in the wall of the casing E adjacent to the valve L, as shown by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 5, and this passage communicates with the chamber F' by a port j and also has a port 7c at its end leading into the chamber F, and through thevalve L is a port i, by which communication is established through the Valve L with the passage M when the port i communicates with the port j. The face of the valve L has a passage l,

which communicates with the port 7c when the valve is in its normal position and with a passage m in the wall of the casing E, which passage communicates with a port n, leading to the atmosphere.

N is a passage through the cap K, in line with the passage M in the casing E.

O is the brake-cylinder.

P is a passage in the cap or cover K, communicating with the chamber F by a port p, and into this passage P the end of a pipe P leads, which pipe at its other end communicates with a car-reservoir, (not shown,) so that air can pass from the chamber F through the port p, passage P, and pipe P into the car-reservoir, or air can pass from the carreservoir in the same manner into the chamber F.

Q are ears projecting out from the cap or head K, and Q are corresponding ears projecting out from the brake-cylinder O, and through these ears bolts q pass, attaching the brake-cylinder O to the cap or head K, and the joint between the two is made air-tight by a packing q.

R is a chamber in the cap or coverB, which communicates with the chamber C by the passage D and is closed at its end by a screwthreaded plug R', in-which is a hole or passage 'w. The chamber R also communicates with the main-valve piston-chamber F by a passage r', which passage also communicates with a passage r in the casing E, and this passage r communicates with the chamber F by a port s, and communication is had with the chamber F, when the valve L is in its normal position, by a port t through the valve L,which port t is closed by a valve u, and the valve u is held to its seat by a spring u', both the Valve u and the spring u being attached to the Valve L bya screw u or in any other suitable manner.

S is a piston in the chamber R, which piston has a suitable packing x and is provided with a stem o, on which is a valve v, which munication with'the passage r in the casin g E. V is a plate over the end of the chamber U.

WV is a passage through the cap or head K, furnishing a communication between the chamber U and the brake-cylinder O.

lThe chamber U has located therein a plate or disk 4, having a stem 5, on which is a disk 6, and between the disks 4 and 6 is a cupleather packing 7, forming, in connection with the disks, a piston. The stern 5 at its end has secured thereto a valve 8,with a packing 9, which seats upon a rib 10 on the face of the plate V, and this stem passes through a ring 1l, connected with the plate V by arms 12, so as to leave open spaces between the arms around the ring, and between the plate V and the disk 6 is a coiled spring 13, by which the valve S is held to its seat in its normal condition. rPhe chamber U communicates with the passage 7 by a port 14, and from the passage r a passage 15 leads, which passage communicates with a chamber 16 in the end of a plug 21, screw-threaded into the end of the wall U', and this chamber 16 has located therein a valve17 on a stem 18,which valve closes a port 19, communicating with passages 2O in the plug 21, which passages communicate with a passage 22, leadinginto the chamber U through the wall U. The plug 21 has a chamber 25, in which is located a stationary armature 23, having a passage 24 in line with the port 19 and lthrough which passage the stem 1S extends, and in this chamber 25 of the plug 21 is also located a movable armature 26, by means of which the stem 18 can be moved tol raise the valve 17 from its seat. The end of the plug 21 has a cap 27, in which is a port or opening 28, leading to the atmosphere, and as the armature 26 leaves a space around it in the chamber 25 air can pass out through the opening 28. The plug 21 is wound with wire 29, so as to form a magnet for the armatures 23 and 26.

The stem I is held from turning by arms 1, having square ends 2,which enter recesses 3, formed in the wall of the chamber F, as shown in Fig. 3.

IOO

IIO

The car-reservoir is charged fromtlie train- P, and pipe P' into the car-reservoir, and such flow of the air Will continueiuntil the pressure in the car-reservoir and the pressure in the train-pipe are equal, or nearly so, and when the car-reservoir is charged the apparatus is ready for use.

In use the lowering of the train-pipe pressure reduces the pressure in the chamber F back of the piston in such chamber, and the car-reservoir pressure which is in the chamber F' in front of the piston being in excess Will force the piston back, receding the valve L for the port vl in the valve L to come in line with the port j, leading into the passage M, When the car reservoir pressure Will iloW through the pipe P', passage P, and port p into the chamber F', and thence through the ports fi and j into the passage M and through the passage M into the brake-cylinder, setting the brakes with a grading pressure when the reduction in the train-pipe is a few pounds only. An increase of the train-pipe pressure entering the chamber C Will raise the valve c for the pressure to pass through the port a and chamber b into the chamber F back of the piston in such chamber, returning the piston to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1, and such return of the piston returns the valve L to the position shown in Fig. 1 for the port 7a to be in communication with the passage l and allow air from the brake-cylinder to flow out through the passage N and passage M, port la, passage Z, port fm, and port n into the atmosphere to release the brakes, and if it is desired to return the piston only partially and retain a grading pressure on the brakes a slight increase in the train-pipe pressure Will advance the piston in the chamber F against the resist-ance of the spring g", which spring, by reason of the abutment of the stem g' against the face of the head K, Will hold the valve L in position for the port 1I to be out of line With the portj and for the passage Z not to be in com munication With the port 7c, the result being a retention of the pressure in the brake-cylinder by which the brakes Will be held at the grading pressure, and if such pressure is not sufficient a slight reduction is again made in the train-pipe pressure, repeating the operation first described, by which additional pressure is admitted into the brake-cylinder to set the brakes more firmly.

The reduction of pressure in the train-pipe for the purpose of applying the brakes may be made in the usual Way by means of the engineers valve. This causes a reduction of pressure in the chamber C, passage D, and in chamber R to the right of piston S. The valve c will then be seated, and as the porte through valve c is too small to permit an equalization of the pressures in chambers F and C the pressure in chamber F will move the piston S to the right and open the releasevalve o, thereby permitting the air below the piston G to escape to the atmosphere, so that the reservoir-pressure above the piston G Will'move said piston down and cause the application of the brakes.

The brakes can be set to the full pressure in case the valve L or its operating devices are inoperative by means of the electrical appliances attached to the Wall U', and by these appliances a current can be sent into the magnet by which the armature 26 will be advanced, raising the valve 17 from its seat for air to enter the passage 15 from the passage r and enter the chamber 16 and pass out through the port 19 and passages 20 into the passage 22 to enter the chamber U back of the piston in such chamber, equalizing the pressure on both sides of such piston for the train-pipe pressure entering the chamber U at the port 14 to act on the valve 9 and raise it from its seat, permitting train-pipe pressure to flow through the openings 12 into the brake-cylinder to set the brakes, and this operation of setting the brakes is entirely distinct and separate from the operation of the slide-valve L; but, if desired, both devices can be brought into use, in Which case carreservoir pressure will enter the brake-cylinder through the passages M and N, and train-pipe pressure Will enter the brake-cylinder through the chamber U and passage W.

A graduated application of the brakes may be effected by a moderate reduction of trainpipe pressure, which is not sufficient to cause the unseating of the valve o. When such moderate reduction of train-pipe pressure is made, the valve c Will be seated and the uid in the chamber F below the piston G Will ioW through the passage e into the train-pipe, thereby reducing the pressure below the piston G sufficiently to permit the auxiliary-reservoir pressure to move the piston G and the valveL into position for a service application of the brakes. Fluid from the auxiliary reservoir Will then iiow through the passage t' in the valve L and through the passages Ml and N into the brake-cylinder.

When a suiiiciently great and rapid reduction of train-pipe pressure is made, the valve c Will at first be seated, and the pressure in chamber R to the left of piston S will move the piston S to the right and unseat the valve fu. The fluid in chamber F below the piston G Will be suddenly exhausted to the atmosphere, and the valve c will be lifted from its seat by the pressure of the iiuid in chamber C. Fluid from the train-pipe will iiow into the chamber F through the passage a and into chamber R through the passage r', and va portion of the train-pipe {iuid may thus escape through the port to to the atmosphere; but Whether it does or not the iioWof iiuid from the train-pipe into the chambers F and R through passages ct and fr will cause a reduction of train-pipe pressure in addition. to that effected by means of the engineers valve, and this additional reduction of trainpipe pressure occurring at one triple valve will cause the opening ofthe valveyo atthe next succeeding triple valveV and successive IOO IIO

-force the piston forward, setting the Valve fv,

and the valve is held seated by an increase of the train-pipe pressure, which enters the chamber C and flows through the passage D into the chamber Rback of the piston S, and such pressure, in connection with the spring 0c', seats the valve and firmly closes the open ing or passage w against the outow of air from the chamber F.

It will be seen that with this construction of valve a nearly simultaneous reduction of the train-pipe pressure for all of the valves is had, as each preceding valve forms a relief-v valve for the pressure of the succeeding valve, so that With the reduction at the first valve a corresponding reduction is had for the next valve at the same time, or nearly so, and such reduction extends throughout the entire train, the result being a simultaneous setting of the brakes on the front and rear cars, by which the bumping or coming together of the cars suddenly is entirely obviated and overcome, and consequently no jar or concussion is had on anyof the cars in setting the brakes, and this result will be the same Whether the brakes are set at a grading pressure or for an emergency stop, and by using independentlyoperating electrical and air devices for admitting pressure to the brake-cylinder the brakes can be set by the use of either device, or by both devices combined, Without any in- 1 terference of one device with the other.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in an air-brake mechanism, of a train-pipe, a port leading from the train-pipe into the main-valve piston-chamber, a valve having a vent-passage and controlling said port, a vent-chamber communieating with the train-pipe, a passage from the main-valve piston-chamber to the vent-chamber, a piston in the vent-chamber, and a valve operated by the piston and controlling a ventpassage from the vent-chamber, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in an air-brake mechanism of a main-valve piston-chamber, a piston in such chamber, a slide-valve carried by the piston and controlling the grading-port, a chamber communicating with the trainpipe, a port between such chamber and the main-valve piston-chamber, a valve with a vent-hole controlling such port, a vent-chamber communicating with the main-valve piston-chamber and the train-pipe chamber, a piston in the vent-chamber, a valve carried by the piston, and a vent-opening controlled by the valve, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

The combination in an air-brake mechanism of a train-pipe chamber, a port from said chamber to the main-valve piston-chamber, a vented valve controlling such port, a vent-chamber communicating with the trainpipe chamber and the main-valve pistonchamber, a piston in the vent-chamber, a valve carried by the piston, a vent-opening controlled by the valve, and a spring for advancing the piston, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination in an air-brake mechanism of a train-pipe, a chamber communieating with the train-pipe, a main-valve chamber, a port between the train-pipe chamber and the main-valve chamber, a valve controlling such port, a passage leading from the main-valve chamber, a passage communicating with the passage from the main-valve chamber and with a secondary chamber, a piston in said secondary chamber carrying a valve controlling a passage leading to the brake-cylinder, a passage leading from the connecting passage of the main-valve chamber and the secondary chamber into the secondary chamber back of the piston, and a valve electrically operated, for admitting train-pipe pressure to the brake-cylinder direct, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination in an air-brake mechanism of a main-valve chamber,a passage lead` ing from the main-valve chamber to a ventchamber, a vent-chamber, a piston in the ventchamber, a valve carried by the piston, a ventopening controlled by the valve, a passage leading to a secondary chamber from the mainvalve chamber, a piston in the secondary chamber, a valve carried by the piston and controlling the passage leading to the brakecylinder, a passage leading to the secondary chamber back of the piston, and a valve electrically operated for controlling such passage, for admitting train-pipe pressure direct to the brake-cylinder, substantially as speciied.

6. The chamber F, passage r and passage r, in combination with the chamber U, having a piston therein, valve 8, controlling the release of iiuid from the train-pipe passage 15, and valve 17, electrically controlled, substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.

7. The train-pipe A, chamber C, passage D, chamber F and vent-chamber R, in combination with the passage r', passage r, chamber 'U, having a piston therein, valve 8, controlling the release of iuid from the train-pipe passage 15, and valve 17, electrically controlled, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. The chamber U having a piston therein, valve 8, controlling the release of fluid from the train-pipe passage r and port 14, in combination with the passage l5, valve 17, electrically controlled, port 19, passage 20, and passage 22, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. The chamberU having a piston therein, valve 8, controlling the release of fluid from the train-pipe port 14, and passage 7*, in com-` binatiou with Jthe passage 15, chamber 16, plug 21, passage 22, stationary armature 23 1o valve 17 with stem 18., port 19, passage 20, passage 24, chamber 25, and movable arma- `plug 21, and passage 22, substantially as and ture 26, substantially as and for the purposes for the purposes specified. specified.

5 10. The chamber U, having a piston therein, Valve 8, controlling the release of fluid from the train-pipe port 14, and passage a, in lVtnesses: combination with the passage 15, chamber 16, O. W'. BOND, valve 17 with stem 18, port 19, passage 20, J. R. ANDREWS.

HARVEY S. PARK. 

